Wagner's growing drug trade fuels influence in central africa

In the heart of Central Africa, a disturbing alliance is taking shape. The Russian paramilitary group Wagner has carved out a formidable foothold in the Central African Republic, leveraging the illegal tramadol trade to regain momentum after a period of decline.

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According to The Wall Street Journal, Wagner’s operations in the country have flourished into what experts now describe as an “opioid empire”. This powerful painkiller, often prescribed for mild conditions, is being repackaged in higher concentrations, transforming it into a highly potent stimulant. Some have even gone so far as to dub it the “poor man’s cocaine”.